Pulling tool for wells



W. L. CHURCH PULLING TOOL FOR WELLS Filed Nov. l5, 1951 May 16, 1961 lll- United States Patent PULLING TOOL FOR WELLS Walter L. Church, 424 Hogan St., Houston, Tex.; Edith G. Church, Walter Lee Church, Jr., and Carroll E. Church, executors of said Walter L. Church, deceased Filed Nov. 13, 1951, ser. No. 256,092

9 Claims. ((1166-98) This invention relates to a pulling tool for wells and more particularly to a pulling tool which is adapted to be engaged with an object stuck in a well, anchored to another object in the well to hold the tool against downward movement in the well, and then actuated to exert a pull on the stuck object using the anchor as the means of taking the reaction from the pull upon the stuck object.

Another object is to provide such a structure in which the pulling force exerted by the tool will not be afected by the weight or length of the suspension member by which the tool is lowered into the well and manipulated therein.

Another object is to provide such a tool adapted to be lowered into a well by means of a tubular suspension member through which fluid under pressure may be passed for the purpose of actuating the tool but in which the tubular suspension member need not be moved or manipulated during the pulling operation.

Another object is to provide such a tool in which, when the tool has been engaged with an object to be removed from the well, the part of the tool engaging the object to be removed may be rotated by rotating the tubular suspension member on which the tool is carried. It is further desired that such means for transmitting rotary movement be effective when the tool is in either of its two extreme positions so that rotary force may be applied to the stuck object either while some part of the weight of the tubular suspension member is bearing on the tool or while the tubular suspension member is exerting a substantial upward pull on the tool.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tool of the character referred to in which the anchoring mechanism may be actuated solely by hydraulic pressure and which upon release of the hydraulic pressure will immediately release its anchoring grip without longitudinal movement of the tool.

Another object of this invention is to provide in combnation with a tool of the character referred to a means whereby when an upward pull is exerted on the tubular suspension member, substantially the entire differential of fiuid pressure supplied to the tool through the tubular suspension member will be relieved and uid will be drained from the tubular suspension member as it is removed frorn the well.

An important object of the invention is to provide a pulling tool adapted to be connected by a piston rod to an operating string and to an object stuck in a well.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a tool of the character described, a cylinder with means for anchoring said cylinder to a casing in a well, and a grapple associated with the cylinder and adapted to engage a stuck pipe, and upon operation of the tool, to release the stuck pipe from the well,

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pulling tool embodying novel means for anchoring the tool to the well casing.

The present application is a continuation-impart of pending application Serial Number 137,020, led January 5, 1950, by the same applicant, for apulling tool for wells, now abandoned.

l The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will best be understood from the following detailed description, consistituting a specification of the same, when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of the tool and its associated parts;

Figure 2 is a Vertical, cross-sectional view on a much larger scale than Figure 1, of the upper end portion of the tool, with the tool in place within a casing;

Figure 3 is a vertical, cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2, but showing the intermediate portion of the tool;

Figure 4 is a vertical, cross-sectional view similar to Figures 2 and 3, but showing the lower end portion of the tool with the grapple engaged with a stuck object to be released from the well; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse cross-section taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the

tool has a cylinder made up of upper and lower tubular sections 10 and 12, respectively, which sections are connected together by an inside coupling or pressure head 14, forming a closure about and a bearing for a piston rod 22, and a lower end pressure head or bushing 16, closing the lower end of tubular section 12 about and also forming a bearing for the hollow piston rod 22, which constitutes a grapple-carrying part. The upper end of the head or coupling 14 and the lower end of the head or bushing 16 are formed with clutch teeth 18 and 20, respectively. On the upper end of the piston rod 22 there is a collar or nut 24, whose lower end is formed with clutch teeth 26, which are engageable with the clutch teeth 18, when the piston rod is in its lower position, to form a rotary driving clutch, and on the other end of the piston rod 22 there is a coupling 2S whose upper end is formed with the clutch teeth 30 engageable with the clutch teeth 20 and form a rotary driving connection when the piston rod is in its upper position.

A tubular pipe grapple body 32 is suspended from the piston rod 22 by means of the coupling 28.

A slip cage 34, constituting an anchorable part, is connected at its lower end to the upper end of the upper tubular section 10 of the cylinder, and this cage is provided with a plurality of radially disposed windows 36, within which radially movable slips 33 or anchoring means are disposed, the outward movement of the slips being limited `by stops 4t? carried by the cage. Each of the slips has a peripheral groove 42 therein, Within which is disposed a suitable packing element 44, such as an O-ring, adapted to form a uid tight seal between the slips and the correspending window opening. The cage is of tubular shape, and has a longitudinal passageway 46 therethrough into which the window openings open, whereby fluid under pressure introduced into this longitudinal passageway 46 of the cage will move the slips 38 laterally outwardly with respect to the cage into gripping engagement with a surrounding well casing 48.

In order to maintain pressure in the passageway 46 in the cage, a choke 50 may be positioned in the coupling 28, which choke is preferably formed with a valve seat S2 at its upper end, with which a ball 54, when introduced, cooperates to close the tool against downward flow of fluid therethrough.

In the present illustration, there are two pistons 56 and 58 fixed on the piston rod in the lower section 12 of the cylinder, and midway between these pistons in the section 12 there is secured an annular head or partition 60 through which the piston rod tits closely, the head or partition having parts 61 providing sealing engagement with both the tubular section 12 and the piston rod 22. Beneath the respective pistons, outlet ports 62 and 64 are provided in the hollow piston rod, which lead from the interior of the rod into the lower section 12 of the cylinder above the heads 60 and 16, respectively, whereby uid under pressure may be introduced from the interior of rod 22 into the cylinder beneath each of the pistons to act against the upper surfaces of heads 60 and 16 and the lower surfaces of pistons 56 and 58 to move the piston rod 22 upwardly in the cylinder, Outlet ports 66 and 68, respectively, are provided in the section 12 above the upper extremity of travel of each of the pistons 56 and 58, for the escape of uid above the pistons, when the pistons move upwardly in the cylinder. The pistons and cylinders and their associated parts constitute a jack in the form of a fluid pressure motor for moving the grapple carrying part upwardly with respect t the anchorable part.

Dump or drain valve mechanism is connected to the upper end of the slip cage 34, which mechanism comprises a tubular body or inner member 70 having lateral ports 72 leading from the interior of the body to the exterior thereof, and a tubular outer member 74, into which the upper portion of the body 70 is slidably tted. The body 70 and member 74 are splined together, as indicated at 76 so that they rotate together. The body has an external peripheral groove therein, in which sealing means, such as an O-ring 78 is disposed, to form a uid tight seal between the lower end of the member 74 and the body, whereby the ports 72 are closed against outflow of lluid therethrough when the parts are in the positions shown. The body 70 has an external shoulder 80 at its upper end, with which an internal shoulder 82 in the member 74 is cooperable, to prevent separation of the member from the body. It will be seen that the body 70 and member 74 are telescopically arranged, so that upon upward movement of the member relative to the body, as when `the tool is suspended by member 74, the ports 72 will be uncovered, to permit outflow of fluid from inside of the tool, when it is desired to relieve any pressure therein, and when the member 74 is moved downward relative to the body the member covers the ports 72 and forms a seal with the body which effectively prevents outflow of fluid from the tool.

The member 74 may =be conveniently provided with internal threads 84 at its upper end, by which the tool may be attached to a drill stern or operating string, which is, in effect, a tubular suspension member.

In making use of the invention, the drill stem or operating string 85 may be screwed into the member 74, and the equipment may then be lowered into the casing 48. Various kinds of pipe grappling tools may be employed with the invention.

When the grappling tool has been brought into engagement with the stuck object, such as by entering a stuck pipe, indicated at 86 in Figure 4, the grapple may be manipulated in a suitable manner to cause expansion of its jaws to take hold of the stuck object. Fluid under pressure may then be introduced into the tool through the drill stem or operating string, which will actuate the slips 38 by moving the same outwardly in the windows 36 into gripping engagement with the interior of the casing 48, thus anchoring the anchorable part of the tool against downward movement in the casing. The iluid under pressure will then also pass downwardly through the hollow rod 22 and outwardly through the ports 62 and 64 into the spaces beneath pistons 56 and 58, respectively, building up pressure beneath the pistons and forcing the piston rod 22 upwardly with respect to the tubular sections and 12 and the parts secured thereto. These sections and parts being anchored against downward movement by the expanded slips 38, this movement of rod 22 creates an upward pull on the stuck object.

Upward movement of pistons 56 and 58 causes discharge of the fluid above the pistons out through the openings 66 and 68. This operation may be continued until the grappling tool has passed through its range of movement, whereupon it may be reset and the process repeated until the object has been released.

When desirable or expedient the tool may be operated by reciprocating the drill stem or operating string up and down, without introducing pressure into `the tool, thus securing a jarring action by engagement of the collar 24 with the coupling 14, and the coupling 28 with the nipple Ztl. The tool may also be employed to rotate the iish or object engaged by the grapple while either pulling on the fish by means of the drill string or while allowing some of the weight of the drill stem to rest on Ithe ish Thus teeth 26 of the collar 24 may be engaged with the teeth 1S of the coupling 14, by exerting an upward pull on the operating string, whereupon the grapple and ish may be rotated with the operating string, or the operating string may be lowered, to engage the teeth 20 of the nipple 16 with the teeth 30 of the coupling 28, and the grapple and iish may then also be rotated with the operating string.

Should it be desirable to relieve the pressure within the tool, it is merely necessary to exert a pull on the operating string, whereupon the coupling member 74 moves upwardly with relation to the body 70, to uncover the ports 72, so that fluid may flow outwardly through said ports. This will also be the case while the tool is being removed from a well, and permits the lluid in the drill stern to drain out as the stern is pulled, so that as the stem is disconnected, section by section, it will not spill the fluid at the surface where the workmen are located. When the tool is engaged with the stuck object Ithe coupling 74 may then be placed in a position closing the port 72 of the body 70, so that pressure within the tool cannot escape therefrom, when iluid under pressure is introduced into the tool to lanchor the same in the casing and exert an upward pull on the stuck object as above described.

While the invention has been disclosed in connection with a specific embodiment of the same, it will be understood that this is intended by way of illustration only, and that numerous changes can be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and describedthe invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pulling tool comprising a cylinder, `a tubular slip cage connected to the cylinder for rotation therewith, means for connecting the cage to `a tubular operating string for rotation of said oage and said cylinder with said string, said cage having radially disposed window openings, casing-engaging slips closing said openings and movable outwardly by iiuid pressure in the cage into contact with a surrounding well casing to anchor the cylinder in the casing, an upper coupling and a lower nipple in the cylinder forming bearings, a tubular piston rod in iiuid excluding engagement with and working through the bearings and having its interior in communication with the interior of thee-age, a piston in the cylinder between the bearings and connected to the piston rod for movement therewith, a tool on the lower end of the piston rod engageable with an object stuck in the well, said piston rod having a port leading outwardly from the piston rod into the cylinder beneath the piston. and said cylinder having a port leading outwardlyv from the cylinder above the piston, interengageable rotary drive clutch means on said rod and upper coupling, respectively, coengageable upon downward movement of the piston in the cylinder to non-rotatably connect said rod to said cylinder for rotation of said rod by the string, yand additional interengageable rotary drive clutch means on said rod and lower in the cylinder to non-rotatably connect said rod with said cylinder for rotation of said rod by the string.

2. A pulling tool comprising a cylinder, a tubular slip Vcage connected to the cylinder, means for connecting the cage to a tubular operating string -and including inner and outer telescopingly arranged tubular bodies movable longitudinally relative to each other one of said bodies being connected in communication with the operating string and the other of said bodies being connected in communication with said slip cage, said inner body having a port leading from the interior yto the exterior thereorF and said outer body being movable relative to the inner body to one position to close said port and to another position to open said port, said cage having radially disposed window openings, casing-engaging slips closing the openings and movable outwardly by uid pressure in the cage into contact with a surrounding well casing to anchor the cylinder in the casing, a piston rod having a piston thereon movable axially in the cylinder and whose lower end is positioned below and works beneath the cylinder, said cylinder being closed about said rod beneath said piston to provide a tluid pressure motor for elevating said rod with respect to said cylinder when Huid is forced into said cylinder below said piston, a pipe grapple connected to the lower end of the piston rod, and means for 'applying tiuid under pressure to the interior of said cylinder below the piston.

3. A pulling tool comprising a cylinder, a tubular slip cage connected to the cylinder, means for connecting the cage to a tubular operating string, with the interior of the cage in communication with the interior of said string, said cage having radially disposed window openings, casing-engaging slips closing said openings and movable outwardly by iluid pressure in the `cage into contact with a surrounding well casing to anchor the cylinder in the casing, a tubular pis-ton rod movable axially in the cylinder and having its interior in communication with the interior of said string, means for connecting the lower end of the piston rod to a pipe grapple, opposed relatively movable parts on the piston rod and cylinder, respectively, providing between them an expansible pressure chamber, a port leading outwardly from the piston rod into the chamber to apply pressure from the string to the movable parts to force them apart and thereby to torce the piston rod and grapple upwardly relative to the slip cage.

4. A pulling tool comprising a cylinder, a tubular slip cage connected to the cylinder, means for connecting the cage to a tubular operating string, with the interior of the cage in communication with the interior of said string, said cage having radial window openings, casing-engaging slips closing the openings and movable outwardly by fluid pressure in the cage into contact with a surrounding well casing to anchor the cylinder in the casing, an upper coupling 'and a lower nipple in the cylinder forming spaced bearings, a tubular piston rod in fluid excluding engagement with and working through the bearings and having its interior in communication with the interior ofI said string through said cage, a reciprocable piston in the cylinder between said bearings and connected Ito the piston rod for movement therewith, a tool on the lower end of the piston rod engageable with an object stuck in the well, said piston rod having a port leading outwardly from lthe piston rod into the` cylinder' beneath the piston to admit iluid pressure from the piston rod into the cylinder to move the piston upwardly and said cylinder having -an escape port leading outwardly from the cylinder above the piston.

5. A pulling tool comprising a cylinder, a tubular slip cage connected to the cylinder for rotation therewith, means for connecting the cage to a tubular operating string for rotation with the string, said cage having radially disposed window openings, casing-engaging slips closing said openings and movable outwardly by fluid pressure from within said cage into contact with a surrounding well casing to anchor the cylinder in the casing, a tubular piston rod movable axially in the cylinder and having its interior in communication with the interior of said cage, a pipe grapple connected to the lower end of the piston rod, opposed relatively movable parts on said rod and cylinder, respectively, providing between them an expansible pressure chamber, a port leading 'outwardly from said rod into the chamber to apply pressure from the interior of the cage to said relatively movable parts to force them apart and thereby to force said rod and grapple upwardly relative to the slip cage, and interengageable rotary drive clutch means on said cylinder and said rod, respectively, engageable upon movement of said rod in either direction to connect said rod and cylinder for rotation together.

6. A pulling tool for wells comprising anchorable and grapple carrying parts reciprocable longitudinally relative to each other, said grapple carrying part having one end projecting downwardly from said anchorable part when the tool is in use in a well, outwardly movable iluid pressure actuatable anchoring members on said anchorable part for anchoring said anchorable part in a well and having means associated therewith and exposed to the action of fluid pressure within said anchorable part independently of said grapple carrying part to move said members outwardly to anchoring positions independently of relative movement of said anchorable part and said grapple carrying part, said anchorable part comprising a portion of a substantially complete enclosure for retaining tluid pressure during the anchoring of said anchorable part and causing said fluid pressure to act against said anchoring members to move them outwardly to anchoring position, a fluid pressure actuated jack interconnecting said parts and operable on application of lluid under pressure to forcibly lift said grapple carrying part relative to the anchorable part when said anchorable part is anchored in the well and means for connecting said anchorable part to a tubular suspension member independently of said grapple carrying part, thereby leaving said grapple carrying part free to reciprocate relative to said anchorable part and connecting means and said suspension member, said means and parts providing a uid pressure conduit from the interior of said suspension member t0 the interior of said anchorable part and to said jack.

7. A pulling tool for wells comprising anchorable and grapple carrying parts reciprocable longitudinally relative to each other, said grapple carrying part having one end projecting downwardly from said anchorable part when the tool is in use in a well, outwardly movable uid pressure actuatable anchoring members on said anchorable part for anchoring said anchorable part in a well, said anchorable part comprising a portion of a substantially complete enclosure for retaining fluid pressure during the anchoring of said anchorable part and causing said fluid pressure to act against said anchoring members to move them outwardly to anchoring position, a uid pressure actuated jack interconnecting said parts and operable on application of fluid under pressure to forcibly lift said grapple carrying part relative to the anchorable part when said anchorable part is anchored in the well and means for connecting said anchorable part to a tubular suspension member independently of said grapple carrying part, thereby leaving said grapple carrying part free to reciprocate relative to said anchorable part and connecting means and said suspension member, said means and parts providing a fluid pressure conduit from the interior of said suspension member to the interior of said anchorable part and to said jack, said outwardly movable members on the anchorable part being exposed directly to the interior of the anchorable part to be moved outwardly to anchoring position by fluid under pressure in the anchorable part.

8. A pulling tool for wells comprising anchorable and grapple carrying parts reciprocable longitudinally relative to each other, said grapple carrying part having one end projecting downwardly from said anchorable part when the ,tool is in use in a well, outwardly movable fluid pressure actuatable anchoring members on said anchorable part for anchoring said anchorable part in a well,I said anchorablerpart comprising a portion of a substantially complete enclosure for retaining fluid pressure during the anchoring of said anchorable part and causing said fluid pressure to act against said anchoring members to move them outwardly to anchoring position, a fluid pressure actuated jack interconnecting said parts and operable on application of fluid under pressure to forcibly lift said grapple carrying part relative to the anchorable part when said anchorable part is anchored in the well and means for connecting said anchorable part to a tubular suspension member independently of said grapple carrying part, thereby leaving said grapple carrying part free to reciprocate relative to said anchorable part and connecting means and said suspension member, said means and parts providing a uid pressure conduit from the interior of said suspension member to the interior of said anchorable part and to said jack, said outwardly movable members on the anchorable part being in the form of toothed gripping members fitted into windows in the wall of the anchorable part in sliding sealing engagement therewith about the peripheries of the gripping members and the gripping members being exposed over their entire inner surfaces to the interior of the anchorable part to be moved outwardly to anchoring position by fluid under pressure in the anchorable part.

9. A pulling tool for wells comprising anchorable and grapple carrying parts reciprocable longitudinally relative to each other, said grapple carrying part having one end projecting downwardly from said anchorable part when the tool is in use in a well, outwardly movable Huid pressure actuatable anchoring members on said anchorable part for anchoring said anchorable part in a well, said anchorable part comprising a portion of a substantially 8 complete enclosure for retaining fluid pressure during the anchoring of said anchorable part and causing said fluid pressure to act against said anchoring members to move.

them outwardly to anchoring position, a uid pressure actuated jack interconnecting said parts and operable on application of uid under pressure Ato forcibly lift said grapple carrying part relative to the anchorable part when said anchorable part is anchored in the well and means for connecting said anchorable part to a tubular suspension member independently of said grapple carrying part, thereby ieaving said grapple carrying part free to reciprocate relative to said anchorable part and connecting means and said suspension member, said means and parts providing a fluid pressure conduit from the interior of said suspension member to the interior of said anchorable part and to said jack, a dumping valve means connected adjacent the tool in the conduitprovided by the tubular suspension member and the tool and controlling communication between the interior and exterior of said conduit, and means connected to said tubular suspension member and actuated by relative longitudinal movement of said member with respect to a portion of the tool to open said dumping valve means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,168,735 Gilstrap Aug. 8, 1939 2,190,442 Costello Feb. 13, 1940 2,352,700 Ferris July 4, 1944 2,377,249 Lawrence May 29, 1945 2,537,413 Lawrence Jan. 9, 1951 2,595,014 Smith et al Apr. 29, 1952 

